


Side effects of possession

by Aimandfire (orphan_account)



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Dissociation, Eating Disorders, Family Dynamics, Gen, Sleep Deprivation, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 19:20:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21213737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Aimandfire
Summary: Lloyd is convinced he needs to be stronger after his possession.





	Side effects of possession

Lloyd was never one to ask for help. He's not sure if it has to do with a misguided belief that he doesn't deserve it or if it has to do with a fear of being weak but he never asks for help.

After getting free from Morro his team was concerned. Lloyd was just possessed and used like a puppet to hurt his team and family. That has to leave some scars right? But Lloyd said nothing, he told everyone he was "fine" and they didn't have to worry. For a while they didn't, thinking his memories of the event were unclear or didn't effect him. It didn't take long for this perception to be shattered.

As far as Lloyd was concerned the entire event was his fault. He attacked his team, he was responsible. Morro possessing him was just an excuse. He wasn't strong enough to fight him, he wasn't strong enough to resist. Therefore, it was his fault. Simple as that.  
Lloyd started to cut himself off from his team. They didn't need to get attached to such a weakling.

Besides, he thought, they only feel pity for him. He doesn't need their pity and they don't need someone so weak hanging around.  
Lloyd needed to get stronger. His team needs him stronger. He stopped joining the team to play video games and watch movies, spending more time training. He stayed up late on the bounty, training, fighting, getting stronger.  
If his team noticed him getting stronger they said nothing. They only mentioned the bags under his eyes, his sudden quietness or how exhausted he is. 'Are you ok? We're worried about you Lloyd' he only took this as criticism, showing he was too weak or helpless. Saying he needed to be better.

He started to eat less and skip meals. It left more time for training and added motivation. He had to earn every meal, sometimes skipping eating for days at a time. He only relented when he every step was shaky, when his vision blurred, and he could no longer train. Then he’d break and eat a piece of bread and fruit, only to train even harder to be sure he deserved it.

His team didn’t say anything then either. Only mentioned how thin he looked, how pale his skin looked, and his sickly pallor. They didn’t notice how hard he was trying, how hard he worked. Lloyd knew he needed to be even better.

Lloyd started training even harder, making no excuses. His hands were bruised and arms scarred, often ended up bleeding but wasted no time patching his wounds up, just kept training. The pain made it better, distracted from his thoughts and made him stronger. He would no longer be a burden on his team.

He thought he was doing better, that his team would be proud. When Wu called him down to my room one night he didn't suspect anything, but was a bit more worried about how urgent Wu seemed. He insisted Lloyd come right away, to stop training and don't even change clothes.

Lloyd rushed down to Wu's room in the bounty, only to see Wu sitting down on a couch sipping tea. The room was usually perfectly clean, more fit for a museum than a bedroom. Today however there seemed to be random things laying around, random tea’s, bandages, and some food on the coffee table in front of the couch. He smiled at Lloyd but it shone of worry.

“You called me uncle Wu, Is everything alright?” Lloyd was panting when he got there, out of breath at a mere walk through the Bounty, trouling Wu even more.  
“Thank you for coming, yes I did want to talk. Sit down nephew, you're shaking.” Lloyd was indeed shaking. He had lost a lot of weight, his cheekbones clear on his face, a face with an unnaturally pale complection. Most concerning his eyes were completely glossed over, like he was possessed again. At this point Wu would have been happy if that was going on. It would have been a much easier fix if that was the case, but no, his nephew was very ill. An illness that won't go away very easily despite anyone's best efforts.

Lloyd took a shaky seat by his uncle, his eyes unfocused. Wu had doubts that his nephew was really present. He cursed himself for letting Lloyd's self destructive behavior go on for so long without pushing more, but no longer.

"Thank you for joining me for dinner tonight Lloyd. What would you like?" Wu beckoned at the coffee table with plates of different appetizers on them. Lloyds eyes glanced over but didn't really take the contents of the dishes in before dismissing them.  
"I'm not hungry." He murmured quietly, completely obvious to Wu's concern. Normally he'd let this go but this time even Wu couldn't let it go. He picked a small croissant with raisins and handed it to Lloyd.  
"Zane made then especially for you. Try them, they are quite good." Lloyd stared at the croissant like he'd never seen it before. Wu watched Lloyd till he started to nibble on it, then continued. "How have you been feeling lately Lloyd?" He prodded gently to his nephew. Lloyd just shrugged.

"I'm fine." Lloyd's response was flat, like it was a pre-recorded message on a phone. Wu was a bit out of his depth but he tried again, a bit more forceful.  
"I don't believe you. Nor does anyone else it seems. What has been troubling you nephew? You seem to be wasting away and I do not know how to help." It took Lloyd a moment to process what his uncle said, or perhaps he didn't process it at all because his answer was the same.

"I'm fine uncle." His voice was the same monotone as before, quite concerning.

“Lloyd you are not fine. I don’t care what you say you are not fine. You’re thin, you haven’t been sleeping, you haven’t been eating. You’re a shell of yourself Lloyd. You need help”

Lloyd paused for a second, then looked up at Wu with his glazed over eyes. They started to tear up.  
“What? I’m getting stronger. I’ll be stronger, the team will never have to worry about me again, you’ll never have to worry again. I’ll be able to keep you safe. That’s my job, I’m the green ninja. I need to keep you safe.” His voice went up an octave as he fought tears. Wu placed a hand on his thin shoulder in a comforting manner.

“Forcing yourself to work this hard isn’t making you stronger. Refusing to sleep, refusing to sleep… It’s not helping you. Pushing us away isn’t making you stronger. It’s making you weaker. You need help Lloyd.” Lloyd looked away but Wu noticed he was shaking. He pulls his nephew into a hug till Lloyd stops shaking. When Lloyd sat back up his face looked oddly calm. Yet it was blank, like he wasn’t entirely there.

“I understand uncle. I’ll take care of everything.” Lloyd stood up and started to walk out of the room, almost robotic.

“Where are you going?” Wu shot up, worried at this odd behavior. Lloyd just looked back, blank smile still on his face.

“I’m going to sleep." He wandered out of the room, seemingly unaware. Wu followed his nephew, tea still in hand. Lloyd didn't notice his uncle following him to his room. Satisfied his nephew was going to bed Wu turned to go back to his room but paused when he heard the door open loudly. Wu looked to see Lloyd in the same delirious state, but wearing only a white robe instead of his previous green ones. He walked out the deck of the Bounty and Wu expected him to start training. Ready to drag his nephew back to bed Wu was confused when Lloyd went to the edge of the bounty, grabbed the railing, and stared at the night sky. Wu was confused, wondering if Lloyd needed some fresh air till Lloyd jumped over the railing and perched himself on the other side. Now Wu was terrified.

"Lloyd what are you doing? Get down from there!" Wu yelled. Lloyd turned his head confused, but relaxed. The wrong stature for someone on the wrong side of a railing, thousands of feet off the ground.

"I finally understand uncle. You were right. I can't protect you. You need someone who can." His posture was relaxed and his face completely blank.

"That's not what I meant! That's not at all what I meant! Please, lets just talk about this!" Wu heard doors open behind him, realizing how much noise he was making but not caring. He heard the frantic yelling behind him when the ninja saw what was going on.  
"What on earth?"  
"Lloyd-"  
"This isn't funny!"  
"Your odds of survival for such a fall are minimal, please step back on the Bounty." Lloyd seemed deaf to the nosies, preparing to let go. For one horrifying moment Wu reaches out in vain, fully knowing he'd never reach his nephew in time.

Then Lloyd convulses. Blue electricity wraps around his body, paralyzing him. Wu quickly realizes that the shock forced his hand to grip onto the rail. Wasting no time Kai runs and wraps his arms around Lloyds waist, ignoring Jay's electricity.

The lightning stops as Kai pulls Lloyd on board the Bounty. Lloyd lays limp as everyone rushes forward. Wu runs the fastest and pulls his nephew close. He was unconscious but his breathing was steady. Hollow but steady.

"Um sensei I know you said you were going to talk to him but what on earth did you say?!" Kai asks in a panicked tone, not angry but loud.

"I…" Wu was at a loss of words. "I don't know. I'm not sure what I said. I… was just trying to help."  
Lloyd started to stir in Wu's lap, who only hugged Lloyd tighter as he regained consciousness. He was confused but not in a daze like before but Wu would not let him go.

"Uncle what's going on?" Lloyd tried to get up but Wu held him too tightly, and Lloyd wasn't strong enough to fight. "What's wrong?" Lloyd picked up on the tension in everyone's face as Wu looked him over for injuries. His face suddenly shone of horrified recollection. Lloyd jerked upwards to get out Wu's grasp but he held tight. Lloyd tried to fight but he was tired and weak and Wu was determined. Even then he was shaken by Lloyd's crazed look in his eyes. "Let me go! Let me go! I was just trying to help, let me go!"

The other ninja tried to offer comfort but to no avail. Lloyd seemed completely oblivious to their comfort, determined to fight Wu. However he tired quickly.  
"I have you Lloyd, just stay calm alright? I can help you." Wu whispered softly, but it did not dry the tears wet on Lloyds thin cheeks. He lifted his nephew up cautiously but nearly fell over. Wu was not a young man and lifting someone was quite the challenge. Lloyd quietly mumbled "I can walk" at the sight of his uncle having so much trouble. Wu hesitated but put his nephew on the ground.

Lloyd spent a moment getting his bearings… Then dashed for the edge of the Bounty. Wu panicked but Zane didn't. He grabbed Lloyd by the waist and under his arms. Lloyd yelled and flailed but Zane knew exactly where to keep him pinned. A minor electric shock stopped him struggling, as Zane picked his unconscious form up bridal style.  
"Is he alright?"  
"Are you alright?"  
"Lloyd!"  
"Nephew!"  
Wu rushed over to Lloyd's side. "Lloyd, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." He mumbled over and over again in apology.

"Your nephew is unconscious but he needs medical attention." Zane said calmly. This shocked Wu out of his stupor.  
"Of course. Nya, Kai, prepare the infirmary." He commended as the two ninjas ran to the room. Zane followed them and so did Wu, holding Lloyds frail hand. Zane placed him on the infirmary bed and all Wu noticed was how pale his nephew was. As the others hooked up machines and IV's all Wu could think about was how he failed both his nephew and brother. Something he'd never do again.


End file.
